Work With Us

PUFFIN is a university scale pulsed-power facility, which provides hands-on training for the next generation of experts in high-energy-density science. We work with intense currents, high voltages, strong magnetic fields, high-powered lasers, and custom-built optical setups to create and measure exotic states of matter which do not occur naturally on Earth.

Undergraduate students

We welcome undergraduate students at MIT through the UROP scheme, and undergraduates from outside MIT through the MIT Summer Research Program. This program provides research opportunities to undergraduates from under-represented groups.

Graduate students

Graduate admissions at MIT are handled at the departmental level—Prof. Hare is a member of the Nuclear Science and Engineering Department, and can review applications made to this department. We particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups in plasma physics, including first generation students, women, members of the LGBT+ community, and members of under-represented ethnic minorities.

Graduate application FAQ:

• Are you taking students this year? In general I take students every year. Due to how funding cycles work, I am never completely certain how many students I can fund, so I am always looking for good applicants.
• Which department should I apply to? I take most of my students through the Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (NSE). You should apply to this department if you would like me to be able to review your application.
• I am a physics major, why should I apply to a Nuclear Science and Engineering department? If you want to work on PUFFIN, you have a much better chance by applying to NSE, where I can review applications, than to physics, where I can’t. Although the core classes you have to take in NSE cover material that will be new to a physics major, the courses are interesting and useful. And after you’ve passed those courses, you can focus on physics again!
• Do I have to TA at MIT NSE? Almost all students are supported as RAs or by fellowships. We have a few TA positions usually given out to cover funding gaps, or to enable students to gain teaching experience.
• What are the first couple of years like as an NSE grad student? The course load is pretty high, and most students will not make much progress with research in the first year. The qualifying exams (“quals”) are in January after your third semester and post-quals the course load is lower. You need to do some research and reading to pass the quals, but it’s only post-quals that you’ll really have time to get stuck into your PhD.
• How long does a PhD in your group take? I think five years is a reasonable time, and I will work with you to make that happen. My philosophy is that a PhD is just one stage in your career, and it doesn’t need to be too long. However, if you want to stay longer, that may be possible.
• What projects do you have available? Due to funding cycles, it’s never certain what projects will be funded. Broadly, our group studies fundamental processes in magnetized, pulsed-power-driven plasmas. This includes magnetic reconnection, magnetized turbulence, jets, shocks, and rotating plasmas, to name just a few. Our funding normally comes from agencies that are happy for us to carry out results-led research, rather than a specific, pre-defined project. So if you have an idea, we can certainly give it a go!
• What do you look for in a candidate? I look for candidates with excellent hands-on experimental skills, demonstrated in lab classes or research projects. This experience does not necessarily have to be plasma physics related, as long as you were involved in some way in the design, operation, data collection, and data analysis. I am especially interested in candidates who can demonstrate patience and perseverance, which are important qualities in experimental physics.
• How is your group structured, and what is the group dynamic like? Our group is very young, and so is our group culture. We meet weekly to share our research progress and I also meet with students one-on-one, or in small groups, for more detailed updates. We often go for lunch or dinner together and go for social events like bowling or mini-golf. My vision for the lab culture is one where each student is responsible for their own project, and takes the lead on those experiments. The other students will assist the lead student - if they are less experienced, they will learn from the more experienced students. When the lead student has finished their experiment, they will switch to analyzing their data, preparing for the next set of experiments, and, importantly, helping the other students with their work. Therefore students will work collaboratively, know what everyone else is doing, and learn a range of diagnostic and experimental techniques.
• What should I put in my application? Letters of recommendation are important. Get them from people who can attest to your scientific skills, especially if you have done an extended research project. Your statement of purpose is also important - rather than recapitulate your CV, use it to discuss why you want to do a PhD, what your career goals are, and what sort of physics interests you. It is a good idea to mention several different potential supervisors so that there is a greater chance that one of them will push for you to get an offer.
• Should I email you to ask questions or arrange a Zoom meeting in advance of my application? Students are often advised to contact potential advisors in advance. Given the number of students who contact me, I don’t have time to meet with them all, so in the interests of fairness I will decline all such requests. I am happy to answer questions via email. I often take students who haven’t comtacted me before applying, and I do not consider prior contact when reviewing applications, not least because I have a terrible memory.

Post-doctoral researchers

Currently we have no vacancies for post-doctoral researchers. However, if you are considering applying for an external fellowship and would like to work on PUFFIN, please get in contact so that we can discuss this further.

Please contact Prof. Hare via email (jdhare@mit.edu) you have any questions about research opportunities.